Lie To Me

A Sore Loser

Notes:
Hiii!

I finally updated. Life has just been crazy busy lately but it's getting better now, so I hopefully get back into updating more often. When I started posting, I really wanted to update like twice a week and I am still aiming for that..
Anyway, enjoy the chapter :)

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The last two weeks have been homework-free and an absolute blast. I had way more time to hang out with my friends and to annoy the piss out of my brother.

I also really tried to get into chess, but it seems like that's yet another thing I suck at. Thankfully, that is not something that actually bothers me at all.

For the third time this week, I try to start with the book Levian has got me for my birthday, "Pride and Prejudice". I am really trying to like it, but just like the first two times, after only a few pages, my eyelids are getting heavier, and I sink comfortably back into the armchair by the fire. I snap my eyes back open.

Focus. 

I try to re-read the sentence, but the warmth of the fire hugs my body like a cosy blanket, the air is heavy with the smell of the burning wood, and the crackle of the fire lures me in like a sweet lullaby. I think I have read the same sentence five times now, and I still don't know what it says. My remaining strength to combat the constant fatigue is dwindling with every second.

"Hey, sleepyhead". I hear someone say, but I just grunt and try to turn the other direction with very little space. That's when it hit me that I fell asleep in the common room.

I pull myself together and slowly force one eye to open, trying to take in my surroundings. All the lights are turned off. Only a small, lingering fire that has yet to distinguish shines a few rays of light through the room, giving me the opportunity to recognise the person who woke me up. Garreth.

"Hey", I mumble. My voice is low and raspy.

He chuckles.

"Seems like a very interesting book-", he says, pointing to the dropped book on my lap. "If it made you fall asleep on -", he picks it up and turns it over to look at the pages. "Ooh, page ten." His loud laugh wakes me up from my comatose state, and I can't suppress a slight laugh myself.

"I really tried," I try to defend myself, "but it's just not my cup of tea."

He holds out his hand for me to help me out of the chair, and I graciously accept it. "Maybe you should try again in the morning." His voice is soft, but there is still a lingering delight in it.

"Maybe. Good night, Garreth." I give him a small smile and go up the stairs to the girls dorms.

After an energising breakfast the next day, I decide it's time to collect the rest of my, hopefully, finished homework from Sallow. I have already submitted some of it, like an essay for potions, where we had to write about the wiggenweld potion.

I check the Slytherin table for him, and as soon as I spot him, I excuse myself from my friends and walk straight towards him.

"Morning." I greet him with a bright smile that holds a tint of malicious joy.

He eyes me wary. "You came to collect your homework, I presume?"

"Precisely." 

"Fine. Follow me." He gets up from the table, and I follow him out of the great hall and down into the dungeons. I haven't got used to the dungeons yet. It's always way colder down here, and the atmosphere is creeping me out a bit.

Sallow must have noticed my discomfort because he looks at me questioningly, "are you OK?"

"Ya, just freezing", I try to downplay my uneasiness while we continue walking. He just nods, but I can still feel his eyes on me, which isn't very helpful with the uneasiness already swirling inside of me.